First off, most of what you see is made by machine, usually a food processor or hand blender. Most of the pesto you encounter here in the U.S. Her technique results in an incredibly special pesto. If you love pesto, you really have to try this. I have to say, it was a complete game-changer. Her mom makes a beautiful pesto (and perfectly light, potato gnocchi to go along with it) and offered to show me and my friend Jen how it is done. My friend Francesca makes the trip from her small town near the pesto-epicenter of Genoa, Italy to San Francisco once or twice a year - this time (lucky for us) she brought her mom and two-year old son Mattia. I received a lesson in how to make pesto from a real Italian grandmother last week and now I understand the difference and what makes this pesto recipe so special.
If you've ever tasted pesto in Italy you know that the pesto here in the United States just isn't the same.
